British brand Irregular Choice announces closure: sale of the entire collection with a 70% discount.

According to The Sun: The popular British shoe brand Irregular Shoes has launched a massive sale with discounts of up to 70% across the entire range, announcing its closure.

The promotional campaign not only includes shoes but also accessories, wedding shoes, and limited collections, before permanently shutting down.

PJ3G96 Irregular Choice, Carnaby Street, London, England, Great Britain Trainers, sandals, platforms and wedding shoes are also discounted Fans are rushing to take advantage of the sales, one shopper noted:

“It's the end of an era – I had to purchase my favorite items before the closure”

Those looking for great deals can buy bags for £115 (down from £145), loafers for £79 (down from £119) and high heels for £119 (down from £135).

Discounts are also available on sneakers, sandals, platforms, and wedding shoes.

The brand has not yet announced the exact closure date, so customers are advised to hurry before the stock runs out.

RETAIL SECTOR ISSUES

The retail sector is facing serious challenges, especially after the rise of online shopping and the coronavirus pandemic.

High inflation, which has persisted since 2022, has also impacted consumer budgets, while businesses have faced rising costs for wages, taxes, and energy.

The Center for Retail Research notes that this sector has been experiencing a 'permanent crisis' since 2008.

According to the Center, 34 retail companies with multiple stores closed in 2024, leading to the closure of 7537 stores.

Moreover, last month the Polish company Pepco Group sold Poundland to the American investment firm Gordon Brothers for £1 due to declining trade volumes.

The new owners have already applied to the court for permission to close 68 stores and are negotiating rent reductions in others, with a potential closure of up to 82 stores in the future.

Two other companies, Hobbycraft and The Original Factory Shop, are also closing their branches as part of a restructuring.

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POVERTY IN RETAIL IN 2025

The British Retail Association predicts that the increase in employer National Insurance contributions will cost the retail sector £2.3 billion.

Research by the British Chamber of Commerce showed that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April.

A survey of over 4800 companies found that 55% expect price increases in the next three months, up from 39% in a similar survey conducted in the second half of 2024.

Three-quarters of companies cited labor costs as the main financial burden.

The Center for Retail Research (CRR) warned that approximately 17,350 retail outlets would close this year.

This comes against the backdrop of a difficult 2024, when 13,000 stores closed, already a 28% increase compared to the previous year.

Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR, said:

“The 2024 closure results show that while the overall store closure figures were not as bad as in 2020 or 2022, they are still concerning, with potentially worse consequences in 2025.”

He also warned of bleak prospects for 2025, predicting up to 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.

 

“With rising store operating costs as well as costs faced by every household, it is quite likely that we will see retail job losses exceeding those during the pandemic in 2020.”

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The closure of the Irregular Shoes brand is a worrying signal for the retail sector, which is already facing a number of challenges including increasing competition from online stores and high costs. Given current trends, other companies may share a similar fate if they do not find ways to adapt and reduce costs. Consumers, in turn, will face new choices in the market as well-known brands that offered unique products disappear.